


The Chalet School in the Third Reich - Part 1

by iwantarolex



Series: The Chalet School in the Third Reich [1]
Category: Chalet School - Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 14:04:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19702864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwantarolex/pseuds/iwantarolex
Summary: The chalet school is now happily settled in Austria, and enthusiastically awaits the coming of the Anschluss, and the arrival of their idol Adolf Hitler in Austria. Throughout the year, the Chalet girls make many contrbutions to life under National Socialism.





	The Chalet School in the Third Reich - Part 1

The Chalet School and the Third Reich

Part one: The coming of the Fuhrer

Chapter 1: 

Joey laid down the copy of Mein Kampf she had been reading, and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at the small watch on her wrist. 16:00! She had been reading for four hours! Oh well, it was a cold February Sunday afternoon, there was little else to be done. She picked up the book, and looked onto the cover. Her beloved Fuhrer's face looked back at her. She propped the book against her beside light, so that his portrait was always visible to her. She had written to the local Brach of the Austrian Nazi party, asking for an official portrait of the Fuhrer. She had previously written to them to acquire her copy of Mein Kampf, the book that she had since come to love so much. The office of Gottfried Mensch, husband of her great friend Freida, had been overlooked by a huge portrait of the Fuhrer, and she knew, after looking into the eyes of the painting, that they belonged to a very special and great man. He was a new Napoleon (A comparison that Jo was fond to make, given her devotion to the French emperor).  
Joey got up, and sauntered downstairs, to the living room of Die Rosen, the pretty alpine house owned by her sister Madge, and her husband, Dr Jem Russel. Dr Jem was the head of the big sanatorium on the mountain, that treated Tuberculosis patients from all over Europe. Jem was busily engrossed in reading a Sunday Newspaper.  
“It looks like Schussing is slipping” Jem said gravely.  
He closed the paper, and smiled.  
“Well, it now looks even more likely that the union of Germany and Austria will come soon.” He said “Just think, what Hitler was writing of 14 years ago, and we all thought he was mad. Yet now it is coming true. An impressive feat, if you ask me, whatever you think of him.”  
Jo looked out of the window, down at the valley below. She gazed out into the distance, where the crests of the Bavarian alps could be seen. Germany. The land of her beloved Fuhrer. National Socialism was already in sight. It might soon be here! Joey’s heart danced with glee. Oh well. It would be a few weeks now before further developments escalated. “In the meantime,” Thought Jo, “I had better get on with my latest book”.  
Chapter 2  
12th March 1938  
The chalet school was in a buzz. The girls were chattering excitedly all around the corridors. Such a buzz on a Saturday morning, mornings usually reserved for quiet prep, was quite unheard of. All girls had been called to the hall immediately. As they filed in, one by one, they could see the jovial look on the face of Miss Annersley, the schools beloved head. Whilst Annersley was a well lied teacher, such excitement the girls had not seen on her before. What could it be?  
Miss Annersley rose from her seat on the Dias.  
“Girls” She said, looking over the rows of pupils that had filed into the hall, “Are you all here?”  
All forms had now taken their places in the hall.  
“Good. I see you are now all here. Well, girls, I have some important news for you all. Not long ago, radio reports came in confirming that the Wehrmacht have crossed the Austrian border. Austria is now re-united with Germany. We are a National Socialist state. Hitler is our Fuhrer!”  
The girls were left breathless by this piece of news. Then, from the shocked silence, a huge cheer erupted.  
After five minutes of sheer, unadulterated screaming, the girls descended into clapping.  
“Three cheers for Hitler!” Shouted one pupil, whose voice was unidentifiable amongst all of the hubbub.”  
“We are Hitler youth now!” another cheered.  
Realising that the excitement would not die down naturally, Mis Annersley clapped her hands for attention.  
“Girls, girls, quiet. I can see that you are excited, but you must calm down. I have more information for you. This afternoon, the Fuhrer is to visit his birthplace of Braunau am Inn. And, to treat you all on this most special occasion, we have arranged for Charabanc’s to take you all there!”  
If the previous excitement could be considered extreme, then there were no words to describe what followed. The girls whooped and cheered, and even screamed in sheer excitement. The dear Fuhrer, who, they had heard, had done so much good for Germany, was returning to his native Austria. And now, they would get the chance to see him!  
“But girls” Miss Annersley had to cut in once again, “I must remind you to be on your best behaviour. Remember, the Fuhrer will see you, and there will be a good deal of media there. We may even have a picture taken for the newspapers. So be good, and make sure you look your best. We will now say prayers. Remember to give thanks to god for guiding the Fuhrer to help us.”  
When the girls came to pray, both Catholic and Protestant alike, all gave the heartiest thanks to God that he had helped Hitler to achieve the unification of the two great Germanic nations.  
Chapter 3  
“Joey! Cried Madge “Oh Joey it’s happened! The Wehrmacht have crossed the border! Austria has been liberated! We are the people of the Fuhrer!”  
At this, Joey bolted downstairs, flinging the copy of Waverley she had been reading aside.  
“What! Has it really happened? I, I, i…..”  
Here, Joey broke off, because she could not find words to express herself. All she had dreamed of over the past few years, since she had first developed an interest in the Fuhrer at the 1936 Olympics, all that she had desired to see in the world, had come true. Austria was National Socialist. Hitler was her Fuhrer. Her Fuhrer. Her leader.  
Jo was in an utter state of shock. It had not yet hit her the impact of what had just happened. She slumped herself down on the sofa, and stared out of the window. Out into the distance. To the Bavarian alps again. Where National Socialism used to only lie. But now it didn’t just lie there. It lay all over. All over the little valley. All over Austria. Her dreams and prayers had come true.  
She suddenly leapt up from the sofa, and hugged Madge.  
“Oh Madge, this is what we have always wanted! I couldn’t think of anything better in the world! We are free from the beast Schussing, now we have our Fuhrer Hitler to guide us! Oh Madge, you don’t know how happy I am!”  
“Joey, Joey” Madge was calling, shaking her off. “I know how excited you are, but please try and control yourself! You are twenty now”  
“Oh, I know Madge, but I don’t care if I was a baby in it’s cradle, or an old woman of ninety-nine, as long as Hitler is our Fuhrer, I am just glad to be alive!”  
“Listen Joey” Said Madge, an authorative tone entering her excited voice, “Get yourself ready now. This afternoon, the chalet school is going to visit Braunau, when the Fuhrer visits his birthplace after crossing the border. We are travelling with them by Charabanc. Now hurry, we need to be gone in an hour!”  
At this piece of news, Jo was lost for words. It was as well, as she got ready silently and quickly. As the car pulled out of the drive on the way down to the Chalet school, where they would meet the Charnbachs, however, she gave way to the tirade of excitement that had been building up inside her.  
“We are going to see the Fuhrer? The actual Fuhrer? Oh Madge, this simply can’t be true! I must be in a dream, and I will wake up soon. I can’t take any more of this Madge, pinch me!”  
When Joey felt pain, she realised it was true. Nothing was false. Her destiny had arrived.  
Chapter 4  
A few hours later, and the Charabancs were rushing along the roads towards Braunau.  
“I hope we will get there on time” Said Miss Wilson nervously, glancing at her silver watch.  
“Oh, we should be fine, as long as we don’t get held up anywhere”. Miss Annersley replied confidently.  
As if her words were responded to by mother nature, a large pine tree fell right into the road in front of them.  
The passengers of the Charabanc immediately wailed at this setback.  
“We’ll never get there!” cried Cornelia Flower.  
Joey Bettany stood up with an alarmed look on her face, and ran to the front door.  
“Come on” she cried, “We need to help move this pine! We will miss the Fuhrer otherwise!”  
The driver of the Charabanc had an equally concerned look on his face.  
“Fraulein, can you help me lift the tree out of ze way?” He asked.  
“Of course” Joey consented, and they both jumped out of the coach.  
As they approached the tree that had fallen in front of them, they noticed there were two young men on the other side.  
“Can you help us lift zis tree?” Enquired the driver.  
The two boys replied positively, and they were soon lifting with all their might. Some townspeople, noticing they were in trouble, ran to help. With this combined effort, the tree finally lifted.  
As the bushy pine was lifted off the ground, Jo noticed the young men opposite were wearing Swastika armbands, and dressed in the handsome uniform of the Hitler youth.  
“They must also be National Socialists” She thought to herself. “Perhaps they would like to come with us?”  
Before thinking of anything else, Jo blurted out “Come, we are going to see the Fuhrer! Come, come, there will be room for us all!"  
The boys faces immediately lifted at this news.  
“Ve would most like to go and see our dear Fuhrer” Said one, in a thick Tyrolean accent.  
So Jo gleefully lead them towards the waiting Charabanc. Miss Annersley was dismayed to learn that they had to carry two more visitors.  
“We are full already. I am sorry boys, but I am afraid that we cannot take you.” She said, in an apologetic tone.  
“I’s my fault” said Jo meekly, “I didn’t think before inviting you. Now I have dashed your hopes. But wait!” Her face suddenly lightened, “They could stand, of course! As long as you hold on tight to the rail here, you should be alright. But mind these twisting mountain roads!”  
Relieved at finally being able to travel to Braunau, they boys clung tightly to the rails. Gottfried and Paul, as the aforementioned pair were named, had also closely anticipated recent events, and now stood excitably chatting away with the girls.  
The coach was speeding on towards Braunau now, having to make up for the time they had lost at the tree fall. 

Chapter 5

After what seemed an endless journey, the charabanc finally arrived in the small town of Braunau. The girls ecstatically jumped out, and made their way to where the Fuhrer would pass through.  
There were massive crowds already awaiting the Fuhrer, and Miss Annersley was inwardly anxious that they would not be able to find a sufficient viewpoint. It was suggested that the group should split up, and stand at sperate points. Whilst the girls divided themselves, Joey went with Jem, Madge and Robin to the front. They waited tensely for the proceedings to begin. At first, there was an outrageous hubbub, but it slowly died down, until there was almost silence in the tension that had built up.  
Then, the raucous cheers began.  
“The Fuhrer is approaching!” Cried Robin, Joey’s adopted sister.  
Joey was too excited to respond. They raised their arms to the Hitler salute as the Horst Wessel Lied began to play. A convoy of Motor cars could be seen In the distance, all spectators craning their necks to try and spot the Fuhrer on the horizon. Little children began to wave their homemade swastika flags, and all of the crowd erupted into the loudest cheering that Joey had ever heard, as she remarked later that day.  
The big moment had arrived. Already, further up the road, shouts of Heil and Mein Fuhrer! The great man was here! The people wrestled to get to the front of the crowd, others were standing on their tiptoes to see. This was especially true for Robin, who was not of a tall size. She was practically jumping to keep up with events!  
And then, the cars passed by. As soon as the Fuhrer came into sight, Joey was overwhelmed. The man she had loved and idolised so much was right before her very eyes! The man she had seen so many pictures of, could now be seen in plain sight! She raised her hand to the highest extent, and, with all the voice she could muster, shouted “Heil Hitler! Österreich ist erwacht!”  
So loud was her exclamation, that Jo sweared since the day that the Fuhrer had cast a glance to her direction, and met her eyes. What a beautiful sight.  
*****

The Fuhrer came and went. All of the girls managed to get a good view of him, yet the precious moment was gone within minutes. Thrilled with their excursion, they would have willingly returned to the charabancs there and then, but Miss Annersley insisted that they first have something to eat. They found a small café, where Kaffe und Kuchen was ordered. There was plenty of topic for discussion.  
“I’m certain that I managed to touch the Fuhrer’s coat!” Boasted Cornelia Flower.  
“Nonsense” retorted Giovanna Rincini, “He was too far away for anyone to touch.”  
Joey sat looking thoughtfully.  
“When we were in India last year, we were told of a woman named Savitri Devi. She lives in Calcutta, and is living in India to discover the original homeland of the Aryan peoples. She is devoted to the Hindu gods and the Bhagavad Gita. I have heard that she believes that Hitler is a Hindu avatar sent to redeem the Aryan world. Although I am not a Hindu, I can’t help agreeing that there is some truth in the idea of our wonderful Fuhrer as being holy. It can’t just be coincidence that a man with origins as humble as his can have risen to be one of the most important figures in the world.”  
The girls looked on at Joey with fascinated faces at this extraordinary proposal.  
“Do you really believe that the Fuhrer has been sent by god to save the German people?” asked Freida Mensch?  
“I don’t quite know. But it just seems so right. Germany was in despair not long ago, before Hitler cam along and put everything to rights. Lets hope he does the same in Austria. The idiot Dollfuss and his apprentice Schussnigg were both insane.” Joey said, anger raising in her voice. Had anyone to mention the names of either of those men, and Jo would speak her mid of them! Not wishing to hear the rant that Joey was clearly about to start, Miss Wilson interrupted.  
“Hurry up, girls, we need to get back to the charabancs soon.”  
At this, the girls promptly downed the remains of their Kaffe, and left for the charabancs. 

Chapter 6

By the time that the charabancs reached the Chalet school, it was 21 hours. They had had to drop Gottfried and Paul back at the village where they had been picked up, and drive carefully along steep alpine roads in the March twilight, darkness falling fast. The girls were almost asleep by the time they returned. It was decided that Joey, Madge, Jem and Robin should spend the night at the school. Whilst Jem and Madge were given a private room, Joey and the Robin willingly slept in spare dormitory beds, glad to be with their former school companions once more. After saying prayers of thanks for the salvation of Austria through National Socialism and the Fuhrer, the girls retired to their beds. Despite the days excitements, all of the girls were asleep within minutes of lights out.

*****  
Joey awoke, and stretched her eyes wide open. Where was she? Not in Die Rosen. Then all of the memories of Yesterday’s events came flooding back to her. Of course! For the first time ever, she was waking up to National Socialism! So overjoyed was she at future eprospects, that she jumped out of bed and gave a subconscious dance of excitement. Whilst Joey herself may not have noticed what she was doing in her exhilaration, this proved quite a sight for her fellow “dormy mates”.  
“Joey! Don’t be such an ass! Why are you dancing like that?” Inquired Polly Herriot.  
Joey flushed with embarrassment as she realised what she was doing.  
“Sorry! I’m just a bit over excited about yesterdays events” She replied with a grin.  
All the other girls in the dormitory, now awoken, laughed.  
“I wonder what we will do now?” Said Evadne Lannis thoughtfully.  
“Well” replied Joey “There will be lots to do. We ought to write to Jutta Rudiger, leader of the League of German maidens, and ask if we can form our own branch. It will be similar to guides mostly. We can take part in parades in Innsbruck. And maybe, just maybe, we might arrange to go to Nuremberg in September!” Said Joey, with an excited twinkle in her eye.  
“Oh yes” Replied Evadne” I read about that in a newspaper last September. On the radio, I managed to hear one of Dr Goebbels speeches. He is such an Inspiring Orator!”  
“Yes. The future is very exciting. Oh, I am so glad that Austria has been united with the German Fatherland! Sieg heil!” And Joey promptly gave the Hitler salute that she had practised so much.  
“Me and Robin are off to the Die Rosen again later, so you will have to arrange everything amongst yourselves and with the teachers.” Joey added.  
“Oh, I think we’ll be alright” Said Cornelia, “Whilst you might think that we would be lost without your guidance, we can manage for ourselves quite nicely.”  
“Little sneak!” Joey retorted.  
And all the girls burst out laughing. 

End of part 1.

To be continued in part 2.


End file.
